Hidden
by AbbyMasrai
Summary: Logan Henderson was an ordinary young boy until he saw something he wasn't supposed to.  Now he and his family are in the Witness Protection Program, where they have been relocated to Minnesota. What happens when he befriends three boys? Chaos,of course!
1. The Departure

**A/N: Hello, all! Welcome to Hidden! Please, enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Big Time Rush or the Witness Protection Program**

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Chapter 1: The Departure

I stared at my reflection, hardly believing the transformation that had taken place. My glasses were gone, replaced with brown contact lenses. My hair, which I had proudly grown down to my shoulders, was cut close to my head, causing what little hair that remained to stick out at odd angles. They completely changed my wardrobe, as well. Back in Maryland, I was a geek, and dressed accordingly. White button up shirts, plaid bow ties and matching pants, big black glasses, the pocket protector. You name it; I wore it. Now, the federal government had me in _jeans_. And _t-shirts_. I felt _so_ uncomfortable, but I knew I had to tolerate it. It was a matter of life or death.

It happened a week ago. My friends and I had finished playing a riveting game of Dungeons and Dragons that lasted much longer than we anticipated. Not having a car of my own, due to the fact that what money I did make was used for a robot my friends and I were making for this competition we were planning on entering, I walked home. It was pretty late at night, around 9:45. I decided to take a shortcut down this alley, hoping I'd make it home before my curfew. Who would've known that this one decision could alter my life completely?

It was down this alley that I saw _something. _Something _bad_. I didn't know what to do, so I panicked. My conniption unfortunately garnered the attention of the baddie. He saw me, and I saw him. I knew he had my face memorized, as I did his (thanks to my photographic memory). Knowing he'd been seen, he barreled toward me. I screamed, and ran as fast as I could. Thankfully, I had lots of practice running, seeing as the football team's favorite pastime was chasing me. I scampered down another alleyway, hoping to lose him. I heard his footsteps coming closer, and I knew he would eventually catch up to me if I didn't act quickly. I then saw a garbage bin, and without thinking, I jumped in it, and buried myself as deep inside as I could.

It smelled _awful._ But once again, I was grateful that I had experience being dumped into a trashcan, thanks to the football team. I remember promising myself that if I made it through this alive, I'd thank them. Or at least make catching me a hell of a lot easier. I heard him approach the garbage bin, his breath ragged. I held my breath, afraid that just one breath would result in my demise. He paused momentarily, as if looking around for me. Fortunately, after what felt like _eons_, he began running in the opposite direction.

I was _so _scared. I didn't know if moving was the smartest decision, even though I knew he left. Considering how my luck had played out, I decided to stay put and called the police.

And that's how I wound up in Middle America, Minnesota, or wherever the hell we were. When I told the police what happened, they immediately put my parents and me in the Witness Protection Program. It was awful. We had to change our names, though luckily, they allowed us to keep our first names. They said something about it making the transition more natural. But we had to leave our normal lives without getting to say goodbye to anyone. They took away my cell phone, deleted my e-mail _and _Facebook. They completely severed what ties I had to my former life. I felt so alone.

Logan Henderson had disappeared, and in his place was Logan Mitchell, the new kid in town. And today was my first day of high school.

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**A/N: There's the first chapter! Sorry it's so short. It should lengthen as the plot unfolds. Not quite sure where I want to go with this story, but we'll see. Thanks for reading! Review if you'd like :)**


	2. The Meeting

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for your feedback! I really really appreciate it! I hope you enjoy Chapter 2 :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Big Time Rush. Or the Witness Protection Program**

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Chapter 2: The Meeting

"Buenos dias, clase," the Spanish teacher chirped happily.

She was rewarded with half-hearted mumbles that resembled "hola." No matter where you go, you will always find students half asleep during their first period class. The teacher didn't seem to notice her pupils' lack of enthusiasm, because she continued in her vibrant vibrato.

"Tenemos un nuevo estudiante," she said, reaffirming her statement by patting my shoulder.

"Umm…hola…m-me llamo Logan," I managed to squeak out. I've never been very good at public speaking. Actually, I was proud of myself for not vomiting this time around. I fervently hoped that this trend would continue because the last thing I needed was to be branded as the guy who pukes all the time.

The class eyed me, disinterested. Not that I was expecting a warm reception. In fact, I was hoping to be left alone. I was still pissed off that I had to move away and come live amongst the yokels. As far as I was concerned, this was just a temporary arrangement until the cops caught that dirty bastard and I could testify against him in court.

Finally catching on to her class' unresponsiveness, the teacher enthusiastically introduced herself. "Hola, Logan! Me llamo Senorita Vasquez." She then pointed to a vacant seat in the back. "Have a seat in the back next to Senor Garcia," she instructed in English.

Happy to be out of the spotlight, I obeyed. I made my way to the back, and sat down next to an olive colored boy who was sporting a black helmet on his head. He turned to me excitedly. "Hola! Me llamo Carlos! Mucho gusto!" he rattled off in perfect Spanish.

I was shocked at his friendliness, but nevertheless responded with, "El gusto es mio."

He smiled at me gleefully, then shifted his attention to the board when Senorita Vasquez began her lecture. She was rattling on about the subjunctive form of verbs, which I had already mastered. Another consistency you can find in high school is the fact that all Spanish teachers _loved _to conjugate verbs. Fortunately, I did too, so Spanish had always been a GPA booster for me. And I needed that boost to compensate for my gym grades. I may be a fast runner, but that was about it. And running could only take you so far in that class.

Seeing that I already knew the material Senorita Vasquez was teaching, I decided to zone out. My mind wandered off to my current predicament. What if the police couldn't find him? What if I was had to live here for the rest of my life? What if he came after my family and me?

My thoughts were interrupted when a piece of folded paper fell into my lap. Curiously, I unfolded said paper and discovered it was a note.

_Hey Logan, do you want to eat lunch with me and my friends? –Carlos_

I snuck a glimpse at Carlos, but he was still facing the board, his face scrunched up in concentration. Well, he _seemed_ nice enough. And it would be rude of me to decline, especially since I didn't have a really good reason to.

_Sure _I hastily wrote. As inconspicuously as I could, I slipped the note back to Carlos. I saw his hand slowly reach for it. Out of the corner of my eye. I watched him read the note. He then turned to me and shot me a 100-kilowatt smile before he resumed his note taking.

I couldn't help but grin, too. His smile was infectious. Maybe it would be okay to make a few friends. After all, as much as I'd hate to say it, I could be here for a long time.

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My morning classes went relatively well. Uneventful, just how I liked it. Besides from Spanish, I had Honors Algebra 2, Study Hall, and Computer 2. Algebra was a snooze; the teacher was _so_ monotonous. The kids in my Study Hall were _extremely_ loud, so I had a feeling that I wouldn't be getting much studying done there. I think it's safe to say that Computer 2 will be my favorite class. I've always liked working with computers, and my teacher was really nice and seemed to know a lot.

Needless to say, I was in a rather good mood by the time lunch came around. I met Carlos in front of the cafeteria doors, and he led the way to where his friends were sitting.

"James, Kendall…this is Logan. He's in my Spanish class," Carlos said, once he and I sat down.

The blonde one smiled broadly at me, and offered me his hand as he responded, "Nice to meet you Logan. I'm Kendall."

I smiled politely as I shook his hand. I let go of his hand and then glanced at James. He was staring at me, with a frown on his face. I shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to react to his scrutiny. James' eyes widened, and a goofy grin appeared on his face.

"You have second period Algebra with Mr. Harper, don't, you?"

I glanced down at my schedule. "Yeah, I do."

James began to laugh. "I _thought _you looked familiar. I was sitting next to you this morning. I'm sorry that I ignored you. I have dyscalculia, so I have to focus extra hard in class to understand the material."

"No worries," I responded giving him a sympathetic smile.

"So, Logan," Kendall began, "I take it you're new here?"

I nodded. "Yeah, my folks and I just moved here last week from New York." The feds told me under no circumstances to reveal where we used to live or what my parents did for work. So, my family and I decided that we would say we moved to Minnesota from New York. I don't know why we chose that particular state, but I guess it doesn't really matter. As long as we stuck to the plan and kept our story consistent, we were golden.

"Nice," James replied. "Well, welcome to Minnesota."

"So, Logan…what classes do you have?" Carlos asked, trying to make conversation.

"Let's see…besides from Spanish and Algebra, I have Study Hall, Computer 2-''

"Third period Study Hall with Mrs. Smith?" Kendall asked.

"Umm…yeah."

Kendall smiled. "Hey, me too!"

I cocked my head. "Really? I don't remember seeing you there today."

"Yeah, I had to take a make up test during that period."

"Oh."

"What classes do you have in the afternoon?" James asked, encouraging me continue what I was saying.

"Well, after lunch, I have English, Gym," I winced at the horrors I was guaranteed to experience, "and last period is Choral,"

"Yay!" Carlos exclaimed, "You have the same afternoon classes as we do!"

James and Kendall grinned, and involuntarily I did too. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all.

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"Thanks for walking me home, guys" I told my three new friends. After school, the guys asked me where I lived. Turns out, my neighborhood is located near the ice rink that they had hockey practice at, so they offered to walk me home. I would never admit it to them, but secretly, I was grateful they walked home with me. I'm _really _bad at directions, and I was afraid I'd get lost trying to find my way. Talk about embarrassing.

"And you're _sure _you don't want to go to the hockey rink with us?" James asked. When the discovered I didn't know how to ice skate, they insisted I let them teach me. Apparently, it's some sort of cardinal sin to not know how to ice skate. At least to these guys.

I shrugged. "Sorry, but my family and I are still unpacking boxes and they made me promise to come straight home after school."

"But you'll come with us soon, right?" Kendall inquired, "I'm mean, you can't live in _Minnesota_ and not know how to ice skate."

"Yeah, sure."

I noticed Carlos look down at his watch. "Crap, guys! We gotta go. Coach will kill us if we're late again!"

Kendall and James looked at each other, identical expressions of fear on their faces. Wordlessly, both boys sprinted off in the direction I assumed the ice rink was in.

"We'll see you at school, Logan!" Carlos called over his shoulder as he began to follow the other two. "Hey guys, wait up!"

I chortled, watching as they disappeared from my sight. Once they were gone, I turned on my heel and went inside my house.

"Mom? Dad?" I called out. "I'm home!"

"Upstairs!" I heard two voices yell. I placed my backpack on the kitchen table and made my way upstairs.

"Hey guys," I greeted when I found them.

"Hello, son" my dad replied, "How was school?"

"It was fine…nothing too exciting. Have you had any luck finding a job?"

"No," my mother huffed. "Can you believe it? Even with the government's help, we _still _haven't found jobs. Damn economy."

"I'm sorry, guys." I then paused, thinking about how best to voice my next question.

"Did you guys…uh…hear from anybody today?"

My parents looked at me sadly. "They haven't found him yet, Logie."

I felt my shoulders slump. Even though we've moved thousands of miles away, changed our appearances and our _names_, in the back of my mind I feared that he'd find and hurt my family. And while I thought Carlos, James, and Kendall were nice enough dudes, I just wanted to go back to my normal life. Because, even though I tried to pretend I wasn't. I was really scared.

I ran my fingers through my spiky hair, which made me miss my long hair. "I'm going to unpack the rest of my clothes."

I left my parents and slammed the door as I entered my room. I sat down on my bed and rested my face in my hands.

"Please, please let them find him," I pleaded to the heavens, hoping whatever deity did exist would comply. After some time, I finally stood up and began to unpack, hoping that this wouldn't last forever.

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**A/N: Whew! Another chapter done! I hope you guys liked it! And my Spanish is really rusty, so please disregard any errors. **

**So, what would you like to see happen in this story? I have a few ideas, but I really want to hear what you guys might be interested in seeing. I'm definitely going to incorporate their singing into this story, no worries. Anyways, thanks again for reading! Review if you'd like! **


	3. The Experience

**A/N: Wow…it's been a while. I'm so sorry. I know nothing about ice skating, so this chapter proved a wee bit difficult to write. But I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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Chapter 3: The Experience

I looked from the three boys to the ice, then back at the three boys. I felt my eyebrow rise of its own accord, reflecting my uncertainty.

"You really want me to just _get _on the ice?"

James, Kendall, and Carlos eyed me strangely, as if my query made no sense whatsoever.

"Well…yeah? What were you expecting?" James responded.

"I guess I thought we would start with a history lesson or a lecture about the physics behind skating."

As I was speaking, I could see their eyes glaze over. Obviously, I was the only one who felt that a thorough background lesson was key to success.

"Umm…never mind? How about I just get on the ice?"

Carlos nodded. "Yeah, good idea."

I smiled sheepishly at them and cautiously stepped onto the ice. I tensed as I stepped out. Seeing that my first step didn't result in utter chaos, I felt myself relax. In fact, I was almost even becoming confident. Of course, that was until I performed a rather ungraceful face plant on the ice rink. To my embarrassment, I heard the guys burst out laughing. I tried to stand up quickly, to regain some dignity, but it resulted in my falling over again. Which of course garnered me more laughter.

A hand appeared in front of my face, which after falling twice in the span of thirty seconds, I accepted gratefully. Strong hands steadied me once I managed to get my footing again. I met his eyes, and saw a mixture of mirth and sympathy in them.

"Everybody falls," Kendall stated, "Try not to think so much about it. Just…_feel _it."

"Just 'feel' it?" I snorted. "What are we…Jedi knights?"

Noticing that their eyes had glazed over once again, I surmised that my awesome Star Wars reference wasn't very appreciated. It was times like these that I missed my geeky friends back in Maryland.

Actually, it was only the few and infrequent times like this instance that I missed my old friends. I know, that sounds _really_ bad. But it's not my fault! My family and I've lived in Minnesota for a month now, and the feds _still_ haven't found the guy. I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but I've pretty much lost all hope. Luckily, these three boys have taken me under their wing and having them around made the situation less horrific.

I waved my hand, dismissing my previous comment. "Look, I just can't do it, ok? I'm _not_ coordinated, never _was_ coordinated, and I'll never_ be_ coordinated." I was growing more and more frustrated by the second.

"Don't say that!" Carlos chastised. "It takes time to learn how to ice skate. Nobody's good the first time they try."

As he said this, I eyed a couple of five-year-old girls on the rink doing twirls and jumps like it was nothing. I nodded my head toward the freakish tykes, giving Carlos the _oh really, cause I don't believe you_ look. The others glanced over in the direction I indicated, and blanched.

"Ok, so people _in general_ take a long time to learn how to ice skate," Carlos amended. "It took me a while to get the hang of it."

"Me too," Kendall and James added in unison.

I looked at them, and they all bobbed their heads vigorously, giving me encouraging smiles.

"Fine," I sighed. "I'll try again." I inhaled deeply, mentally preparing myself. As the guys instructed, I pushed off on my skates and began to glide. Kendall, James, and Carlos glided next to me, whooping and cheering. I kept going, and I began to feel a rhythm. Sure, I was incredibly unsteady and I was probably going incredibly slow, but still…it felt exhilarating.

We stayed at the rink for a few hours, and during that time I felt myself improve. I learned how to turn,stop, and even how to skate backwards. Granted, I couldn't perform any of the techniques gracefully, but I got the job done. And considering how _not _athletic I was, I considered today a success.

After we finished at the ice rink, the gang and I headed to Kendall's house. It was Friday night, and Kendall decided that a sleepover was a must. I had to admit that I was pretty excited; I'd never been to a sleepover before. Back home, all of my friends' parents were extremely strict and didn't want their kids to either go to or host sleepovers. Apparently, according to their parents, sleepovers lead to a social life, which leads to less time for studying, which in turns leads to a life of crime. Personally, I thought their thought process was a _tad_ extreme.

Regardless, my parents were ecstatic when I told them about my plans for Friday night. Normalcy, no matter how little, was welcomed and even embraced in the "Mitchell" household.

"Mom?" Kendall yelled when we entered his house. "Mom, we're here!"

A petite woman with fiery red hair and warm green eyes appeared. She looked at Carlos and James fondly. "Good to see you two again," she smiled, enveloping them in a hug. They loudly protested this motherly gesture, but I could see two identical grins on their faces.

Kendall clapped his hand on my shoulder. "And this is our new friend, Logan. He's the new kid at school."

Ms. Knight looked at me, a somewhat surprise look on her face. She blinked, snapping out of it, and beamed brightly at me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Logan. Kendall doesn't normally bring anyone around here besides James and Carlos. You guys must be hitting it off."

"Nice to meet you too, Ms. Knight," I replied politely, "Kendall, James, and Carlos have been showing me around."

Kendall clapped his hands together. "So, who wants to play some video games?"

We all agreed enthusiastically, and thus began one of the best nights of my life.

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**A/N: There's chapter 3! Like it, hate it? Let me know! This story is probably one of the harder ones to write, because I haven't thought it out completely. You guys have given me some good ideas, so thank you! Please keep 'em coming! It may be a while until my next update…things at home are really busy. Sorry in advance!**


	4. The Detention

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing! It's an awesome feeling to see that people enjoy my work. And I hope you continue to enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own BTR **

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Chapter 4: The Detention

"I've gotta get new friends" I sighed exasperatedly, gazing at the door in front of me. In big, bold letters, the word "Detention" stared back at me, taunting me.

Carlos looked over at me. "Oh, don't be like that. Just think of this as the initiation into the Brotherhood of—"

I glared at him. "If you say 'Traveling Pants,' I _will _hit you."

"Well, actually…I was going say 'of Mischief and Mayhem,' but _never mind_," my shorter companion scoffed. He pretended to be offended, but his eyes danced joyously, amusement embedded in them.

"Logan, detention is _not _a big deal," Kendall said, trying to pacify me.

Instead of being mollified, I became frantic. "Not a big deal? Not a big deal! This kind of misconduct goes on our _permanent record_…when the deans of Harvard and John Hopkins look at my application…do you know what they'll see? They _won't _see my 4.5 GPA nor will they see my near perfect SAT score. _No_, they'll see that I got detention my sophomore year of high school for putting a _stink bomb_ in the choirteacher's desk! I'll _never _be accepted into their pre-med program. How am I gonna explain _that _to my parents, Kendall?"

Kendall chuckled, placing his hands on my shoulders. Gently, he shook me once, trying to physically force me out of my tirade.

"Relax. There are two reasons why this isn't a big deal: one, this is your first offense, so it won't go on your permanent record. Two, the teachers here don't send out letters telling our parents we got detention. If you keep your mouth shut, your parents will never know."

"L-lie? T-t-t-to my parents?" I spluttered, unable to wrap my head around such a nonsensical concept.

Before Kendall could respond, James interrupted. "While I enjoy seeing you try to corrupt someone as much as the next guy, Kendall…we probably should go in before we get in trouble."

I gulped, but nodded. My partners in crime and I swung the door open and sauntered inside. To my surprise (and relief), normal looking people were sitting in the desks, whispering amongst themselves. And here I was thinking we'd be trapped in a classroom full of inked miscreants and pierced hooligans. Of course, I've been known to have an overly active imagination, but still I was _really _worried.

The guys and I silently made our way over to the vacant desks near the teacher, who paid us no attention. The three boys engaged in their own hushed conversation, causing me to freak out once again.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, "This is _detention_…you can't just talk in detention!"

"Logan, chill," James retorted, "In case you haven't noticed…Mr. Andrews doesn't exactly care what we do, as long as we don't leave." To emphasize his point, his eye gaze shifted from me to the teacher in question. "He _may _look like he's reading Beowulf, but he's actually on his iPhone, watching some Spanish novella. Look, you can even see his earphone wires."

I stared at Mr. Andrews, squinting my eyes. And sure enough, I could see black earbuds in his ears.

"Oh," I said dumbly.

Kendall smiled, pleased by the fact that their corrupting ways were starting to influence me. "So, Logan…tell us about yourself."

Carlos leaned closer to me, a huge grin appearing across his face.

I blinked a few times; I was _not _expecting detention time to become "let's learn about Logan" time.

"Well, there's not much to say. I'm a very boring person," I lied, knowing these past seven weeks have been anything but boring.

"No, Esteban! Dios mio, por que?" Mr. Andrews murmured quietly, interrupting our conversation. I jumped, surprised at his quiet outburst. The others barely even looked at him, apparently unfazed by his random fits. Kendall just rolled his eyes, before addressing me again.

"Oh, nonsense. What kinds of things did you do in New York? What do your parents do for a living? You know, we really don't know much about you other than that you're like some super genius."

I felt myself blush at the compliment. No one's ever called me a genius before. I was always known as a "geek" or a "nerd". It felt really good to hear someone (other than my parents and teachers) view my intellect in such a positive light.

"There really isn't much to say…I mean, what you see is what you get," I wanted to kick myself for lying even more, "I didn't do any extra-curricular activities because I was busy studying all the time. School pretty much consumed all my life."

At least _that _wasn't a lie. I pretty much had no social life back in Maryland, unless you count building robots and playing Dungeons and Dragons with your friends a social norm. I most certainly didn't.

"My dad," I continued, "is a college professor. And my mom is a homemaker."

And there I go with the lying again. I mean, Papa Mitchell _is_ a college professor and Mama Mitchell _is _a homemaker. But Papa and Mama _Henderson_, on the other hand, most certainly weren't. Back home, both my parents were surgeons, and very successful ones at that. I knew they both hated their jobs right now. Sure, my dad was teaching a medical course, but for him it's not the same. And my mom loved how her job constantly kept her on her toes, but now all she does is sit at home and clean. I felt really bad for them, especially since it was technically my fault they were miserable. They've insisted it's not my fault…that I was merely at the wrong place at the wrong time. Logically, I knew it was true, but I still couldn't shake off the guilt I was feeling.

I snapped out of my daze when Carlos asked me another question. Answering the question, I launched a few of my own at my comrades, hoping to get the focus off of me. It worked.

I wasn't sure how much time passed, but the next thing I knew I was hearing a soft beeping sound. Glancing over, I saw Mr. Andrews look down at his watch, jumping out of his seat.

"Thank God, I can go home!" he exclaimed excitedly, collecting his personal items. He then scurried out of the classroom, completely ignoring us. As soon as the door slammed shut, the other students calmly gathered their things and exited the room as well. A smile formed on my face as I picked up my backpack.

_I survived detention!_

Carlos spotted my smile. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Kendall and James smirked at me, knowing that I realized I made a big deal out of detention for no good reason.

I forced my smile into a frown, not wanting them to see they were right. Instead, I shrugged my shoulders, acting as laid-back as I could.

"I _guess _it was fine," I conceded, "but I never want to do it again, you hear? I will not let my spotless record be tarnished because of some scheme you three concoct."

Their grins became wider as they replied simultaneously, "Oooook."

I had an awful feeling that this was just the beginning of a dysfunctional friendship. But, oddly enough, I was okay with that.

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**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! Let me know what you think. Was it too off-topic? For once, I actually already have a plan for the next chapter. Yay! As things are going now, I estimate that there will be another two (maybe three) chapters before the actual plot comes into play. So, if this story seems to be dragging, just bear with me. Anyways, thanks again for reading!**

**Oh, and the translation for the Spanish the teacher speaks: "No, Esteban! Oh my God, why?" At least, that's what it _should _say. If I'm wrong, don't hate me! **


	5. The Realization

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm loving the feedback I'm getting from this story. So, thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Big Time Rush**

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Chapter 5: The Realization

It started out like a normal enough day. Actually, it was better than normal. We had a test in Spanish, which I can confidently say I aced, as usual. I was the only one in my Honors Algebra class to solve an incredibly difficult equation correctly…even the teacher messed it up! I felt bad for having to correct him, but he didn't seem to mind too much. Anyways, Study Hall was…well, Study Hall. Got no homework done, but Kendall and I talked about hockey. I was starting to _really _enjoy the game. Obviously, Kendall was pleased when I told him that.

It was after my Computer 2 class, that things took a turn for the worse. I was always the last one to leave the classroom because my teacher and I liked to talk about the latest in computer software. My teacher had to cut today's discussion short because he had a faculty meeting to get to. So, unfortunately, I was by myself when I heard _his _voice.

"Yo, Cyborg!"

_Crap._ I turned around to face him, trying to not show my fear.

"Hello, Mike."

Mike Kowalski was the captain of the football, and also one of the biggest bullies at school. He particularly enjoyed preying on the smart, nerdy kids. So, yeah…this was a long time coming.

He sneered at me before pushing me up against a nearby locker. I tried not to whimper as the dial of the locker dug into my flesh. His minions stood behind him, trying to look threatening.

"Did I _say_ you could talk, geek?" I shook my head vigorously, hoping my compliance would make this little exchange less painful.

It didn't.

"You were supposed to write a paper that would give me a B!" he practically screamed, as he shoved something in my face, "And what does _that _say?"

I studied the paper in front of my face. "Ummm…it has an A- on it."

"Yeah, no shit Sherlock," he growled, "and my teacher found it suspicious, so she asked me some questions about the paper. And when I couldn't answer any of the questions, she got the principal involved and now I'm suspended from the football team!"

Double crap. I really did try to write a B worthy paper, but I guess even at my worst, I can still manage to scrape out an A. Whoops.

My dad always told me that if you stood up to a bully, he'd back down. After all, according to my dad at any rate, they were just insecure and needed to make themselves feel better by putting others down.

"Look, I'm sorry…but why don't we look at this as a good life lesson, yeah? If you had done the work in the first place, then—"

Mike slammed me into the locker again, and this time I saw stars. So much for standing up to the bully. Thanks, Dad…this is why you're a brain surgeon and _not _a psychiatrist.

"Just shut up, nerd," he growled, "It's time for you to pay!"

Before I could fully register what was going in, Mike threw a punch right at my jaw. The blow caused me to lose my balance, and I fell on the floor. Instinctively, my hand flew to my jaw, trying to stop the throbbing sensation. I willed the tears that were stinging my eyes to remain at bay. The last thing I needed now was for Mike to see me cry. Even if I was in an incredible amount of pain.

I tried to get back up, but Mike delivered a swift kick to my midsection, resulting in me falling onto the tile once more. Unable to control it, I emitted a low groan. Kowalski laughed.

"You weak little –"

"KOWALSKI!" I heard a familiar voice boom. I managed to lift my head up enough to see Carlos glaring at Mike. He looked _really _pissed.

Mike faltered, but regained his composure. "Garcia."

Carlos took a step forward. "I suggest you leave my friend alone."

I was flabbergasted at Carlos' audacity. Mike Kowalski was _huge_ and could easily pulverize Carlos using just his thumb. How could Carlos even _think _Mike would listen to him?

Mike glowered at Carlos, and I was certain my friend was a goner. But, to my surprise, Mike turned to his friends.

"Let's get out of here."

As Mike and his posse departed, Carlos kneeled next to me, peering at me worriedly.

"You ok, Logan?"

"What just…? How did you…?" I stuttered, dumbfounded by what just happened. "Why did Mike listen to you?"

Carlos shot me a grin that nearly eclipsed the ire I witnessed just moments ago. "Dude, this is _Minnesota_. No one messes with the hockey players."

He then stood up, extending his hand to me. I took it, and felt myself being pulled up. Involuntarily, I winced at the pain it caused my stomach.

Carlos looked concerned. "Man, we need to get you to the nurse."

With an arm securely wrapped around me, Carlos helped me to the nurse's office. Thankfully, there weren't any other students waiting to be taken care of. Carlos sat me down on a nearby chair and went looking for the nurse. He search was ephemeral, and he returned with an older woman with greying hair and cheerful hazel eyes. I could tell I was in good hands.

"You poor darling!" she gasped when she saw me. She immediately began to assess me while Carlos hovered over her shoulder anxiously.

"Is he going to be ok, Jackie?" he asked, flinching when she lifted up my shirt to look at where Mike kicked me. I was probably sporting an impressive bruise by now. Gingerly, Jackie pressed down on my stomach. Seeming satisfied with what she found, she moved on to my face. She dug into her pocket, retrieving a small flashlight, which she used to shine in my eyes. The ray of light remained in each of my eyes for a few seconds before she concluded I didn't have a concussion.

"You're pretty banged up, but you'll be fine," Jackie stated, smiling softly at me. She then turned to Carlos.

"I'd like him to rest here for a bit, so why don't you go back to lunch, Carlos?"

"Oh, I'm not hun—"

"Growing boys need to eat," Jackie chastened, her voice taking on an edge of authority, "He'll be fine here. Why don't you get him some food and bring it back here once you're finished eating?"

"Yeah, I can do that," Carlos relented. He then focused his attention on me.

"Don't worry, Logan. I'll be back soon," Carlos promised, before leaving the nurse's office. Jackie began to hum while she walked over to the refrigerator she had in her office. Opening it, she took out an ice pack, handing it to me to use.

Gratefully, I accepted it and placed it on my jaw, moaning as the coldness seeped into my flesh.

"Thank you, Miss—"

She cut me off. "Please, call me Jackie. Seeing that you're one of Carlos' friends…well, we'll be seeing _a lot _of each other in the future. We might as well establish the first-name basis here and now."

I laughed, cringing at the pain it caused me. Seeing my pain, Jackie clucked softly.

"So, what happened?"

"One of the football players jumped me," I responded vaguely, hoping she'd drop the matter.

She did, but by the look in her eye, I would have wagered she knew _exactly _who I was talking about.

Wordlessly, she left me for a few seconds, before returning with a cup of water and a pill. Handing both items to me, she instructed I take them and then lie down and rest. Obligingly, I did as she ordered, and before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Logan? Honey…you're friends are here," I heard a voice say.

My eyes fluttered opened, and I was surprised by how fast the time passed. To my right, I saw Carlos, Kendall, and James standing, staring at me with alarmed expressions on their faces.

"Hey, guys," I greeted warmly, hoping their apprehension would dissipate.

Kendall smiled back at me, but it looked forced. "How are you feeling, Logan?" he inquired.

"Sore," I told him, "but I'll be fine in a few days."

The three of them looked slightly relieved, but there was something in their demeanor that I could not discern. James opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by the warning bell.

"Oh, my! Class is already beginning," Jackie exclaimed. "Why don't you boys escort Logan to his class? I'll write you all notes for your teachers."

The boys nodded, and I was once again reminded of how lucky I was to have met these three individuals.

* * *

_BRRRING…BRRRING!_

I groaned, but forced myself to wake up. I snuck a peek at my clock, and discovered it was 3 o'clock in the morning. Curiously, I peered at my phone, and saw it was James who was calling.

"James?" I asked when I had the receiver to my ear, "Is everything alright?"

"Ummm…kind of." he answered, "We sort of need your help."

"Are you guys okay?" I squeaked, feeling myself start to panic.

"Yeah, we're fine. We just need you to pick us up."

"Pick you up?" I repeated, perplexed by this random request, "Where exactly are you?"

He gave me the directions as I sprang out of my bed, grabbing some pants to put on. Once we hung up, I found my keys, and snuck out of the house, hoping my parents wouldn't catch me.

* * *

"Ok…_talk_," I demanded once James, Kendall, and Carlos were in my car.

The three boys looked at each other, engaged in a silent debate. Finally, after what felt like forever, Carlos spoke.

"You see, we decided that we couldn't let Kowalski get away with how he treated you."

"So, I came up with a _brilliant_ idea," James continued, "And earlier tonight, we snuck out of our houses and drove to Kowalski's to TP his house."

"You _toilet_-_papered_ Mike Kowalski's house?" I yelled in disbelief, looking at them through my rearview mirror.

"And egged it," Carlos stated happily.

"And when we finished," Kendall began, picking up where James left off, "We went back to my car…but it wouldn't start. And that's when we called you."

I remained silent for a minute, before asking, "You really did all this for me?"

"Of course, man," Carlos responded, "You're our buddy."

"Yeah," James intoned, "I mean, you've helped me so much with Algebra. I'm actually starting to understand it!"

"And you're the only one who can keep Carlos from doing the incredibly risky stunts," Kendall added, "It's been weeks since we've had to rush him to the hospital."

"I…don't know what to say," I responded, humbled by their loyalty.

Carlos grinned. "Dude, don't even mention it, what are friends for?"

* * *

**A/N: Did you enjoy their little friendship moment? Let me know what you thought of it! So, I'm thinking the next chapter will be the start of the actual plot. And, like I said, I will be incorporating BTR into this story…it'll be soon, I promise! Within the next few chapters, even. Anyways, review if you'd like. I'd really appreciate it. **


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